


Luminous Hope

by fullfirefafar



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, alt title is 'why is fafar like this'
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-24
Updated: 2016-05-24
Packaged: 2018-06-10 11:00:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6953830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fullfirefafar/pseuds/fullfirefafar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Left and right his hand swayed weakly. Purple smoke hovered right across his right palm, flickering and lingering downwards toward a single flower. The poor little plant only took its brutal fate; in a blink of an eye it stood proud and alive; the next second, it withered pathetically with petals plucked and burned in black. However, the yellow sunflower then perked right back up with life, only to snap into two right before the dark mage could give a single blink.</p><p>Life. Death. Life. Death. Life. Death.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Luminous Hope

**Author's Note:**

> basically this is a sequel to 'Deranged Despair' because i, have a heart

 Left and right his hand swayed weakly. Purple smoke hovered right across his right palm, flickering and lingering downwards toward a single flower. The poor little plant only took its brutal fate; in a blink of an eye it stood proud and alive; the next second, it withered pathetically with petals plucked and burned in black. However, the yellow sunflower then perked right back up with life, only to snap into two right before the dark mage could give a single blink.  
  
 Life. Death. Life. Death. Life. Death.  
  
 Mindlessly Henry toyed with the pitiful plant, controlling its life like a lifeless puppeteer- no, a heartless heathen would be more accurate if he were to depict himself-  
  
 “Henry…”  
  
 He stopped.  
  
 Not a muscle moved. Not a finger twitched. Stock-still he stood like a statue. Even his breath kept tightly in his lungs, forcing a choke or a wheeze that painfully agonized for its release behind dry, straightened lips.  
  
 His head remained low on the ground. A shag of pure white hair slid down to the sides of his head, shielding both forehead and eyes, hiding both emotion and expression that were now baring so shamelessly without his mask of a smile.  
  
 He then heard footsteps approaching.  
  
 “Henry…” Again her voice – _her_ voice – lulled close at his back. After what felt like decades, he could feel his heartbeat. After what felt like forever, he could hear his breathing. Each flow that slipped out was terrifyingly even, yet just as rasped and rough especially when he heard her sigh.  
  
 “I-I’m-” Truly Olivia was at lost for words. What would she say? What would she do? ‘Sorry for making you worry so much that you almost accidentally slaughtered our friends’ maybe? ‘Sorry for making you so sad that Robin said she had to keep a watchful eye on you if you decided to do something…risky’ perhaps? Gods Olivia was at her wit’s end.  
  
 So instead she opted for the next best choice: lowering her head in shame and guilt while slim fingers fumbling with one another as if that action could give her either motivation or courage.  
  
 It gave neither. “I…” Again she sighed, tone still as weak given her stomach wound and the fact that she had just woken up from a 3-day coma. Still, her cheeks were painted in pink, though colours too faint for anyone to realize it. “S-Sorry…” The apology was weak, frail, a broken mumble that sounded like mere breaths of air slipping through dry lips. “I…” Her body quivering from both the cold and anxiety, Olivia then stifled a whimper as she slowly slid her hands over each arm.  
  
 Henry didn’t move, neither did he flinch.  
  
 Tears welled up in each eye as every second passed them by. “H-Henry…” Again she wheezed. “I-I’m…” Again she stuttered. “I’m okay now…” Gods help her in this terrible situation they were in. “I’m really…really sorry for making you worry like this…” Slim fingers then moved to the front of the brown tunic that she wore. Her body’s shivering growing more and more obvious, Olivia proceeded to tug the thick, purple shawl closer to the chest. Although it wrapped cozily around her shoulders, the mere material wasn’t enough to cease the violent beat of her heart.  
  
 He still didn’t move a single muscle.  
  
 “Henry…” At the mental count of three, Olivia reached out for him. Her right hand trembled just as terribly, yet she forced herself – she braved herself – to hold him, to talk him, to rid him of the sorrow and despair that thickly rotted inside his rotting chest.  
  
 “Hey…” Cold fingers brushed his left shoulder. “Dear…” Gulping once, twice, thrice, she slowly pulled him, urging the tall dark mage to face her petite self. “Can you um…p-please look at me…?” Her voice was so meek, so timid that a deer itself would sound more ferocious than her.   
  
 A faint curve of a smile finally flashed over dry, nude lips once she saw and felt him turning.  
  
 “T-That’s it.” Although the movement was slower than usual, the dancer for now was just more than relieved to retrieve a response from him. “Let me look at your- O-Oh Gods…!”  
  
 However, once he did face her, a choked mix of a gasp and a squeak burst through her lips the second she looked at him.  
  
 His skin was white as ghost. His face was absent of colour. Although the young man himself wasn’t exactly fit as a fiddle before, the sight of his hollow cheeks almost made her wonder for a split second that it was a Risen standing before her. Pressed lips were horribly chapped, terribly dry that some of the skin could be seen peeled off. Bangs of his damp, oily white hair dangled right across his forehead, some sticking to his skin like disgusting goop.   
  
 And his eyes. Oh Gods his eyes.  
  
 Bags hanged heavy under each eye. Each eyeball were scarred with nerves of red, some to a point where it looked like literal cracks that could rip open the organ any second. As her breath stuck tightly inside her throat, the petite dancer forced her gaze at him.  
  
 His irises were drenched in red, stained with crimson that matched the vile colour of blood. Each pupil had shrunk to tiny dots, only to then enlarge and shrink again like pumping balloons. While some of the bangs had his face shielded from the startled stare, Olivia could clearly every sorrow, every despair that violently meshed in inside his gaze.   
  
 “Oh gods…” Tears began to trickle down pale cheeks. “O-Oh…Oh Gods Hen-” Voice choked by her own sobs, Olivia shakily reached out with one trembling hand. _Drip, drip,_ her tears dropped. _Ba-dump! Ba-dump!_ Her heart pounded. “-e-en…” Throaty sobs swallowing her every word, Olivia clutched the shawl closer to her chest with the other hand. “O- H-Hen…ry-”  
  
 While sorrow and guilt left her completely distracted, the dancer hadn’t realized that Henry had finally given a physical reaction, that reaction being him weakly moving his right hand toward her.  
  
 And before she could say anything or cry about everything, Olivia was instead rendered into complete shock and silence once she was being pulled into a tight embrace.  
  
 “E-eh?!” Finally a squeak popped through her lips. The shawl around her shoulders slid down to the ground, letting it land right behind her dainty feet. Head pulled up slightly by the press of his left shoulder, the stunned dancer swiftly slid her gaze to him. “H-Henry?” Voice now louder despite the stuttering, Olivia only raised her arms higher once she felt his hug tighten around her chest. “D-Dear what’s wro-?”  
  
 “Alive…”  
  
 She then heard his voice.  
  
 “You’re…a-alive…” His voice was hoarse, too hoarse as he nuzzled into her right shoulder. “-ive-”Again he croaked, voice wheezing gruffly with head limply shaking left and right. “Y-You…ali…ve…” Both arms, although terribly weak and thin, tightened around the lithe body. However so, he made sure that his actions didn’t press the bandaged wound on her stomach; hell damned him if he accidentally hurt her.  
  
 “-ivia…” Fear taking control of every nerve muscle in his body, Henry could feel himself shaking from top to bottom. “O-ivi…a-” Dry mouth parted widely, the dark mage then choked out rasped, deep gasps. “S…Sca…red…” Left and right he nuzzled her shoulder again. “I- S-Sca…red…” Thick tears began to coat in each eye, smudging against the thin materials of her brown tunic.  
  
 Olivia didn’t say a word, neither did she sound a peep.  
  
 Instead she only let her body be embraced like a lock. Instead she only let him let it all out, even if it meant crying or bawling up into the dark, starlit sky.  
  
 “I…I almost lost you…”  
  
 As her arms meekly and gently wrapped around his head, Olivia only bit back a whimper at the brutal reminder.  
  
 “You-a-almost…dieahh…” White teeth clanked horribly as Henry tried to keep what’s left of his sanity together. “I almost…almost –ost…y…ou…” One trembling hand weakly moved to the back of her head, thin, bony fingers brushing through the long tresses. “I…I almost lost…y-you…” Over and over and over again he repeated the same thing, sniveling, mumbling, whimpering like a babbled fool who had lost all sense of sanity. “O…Olivi…a…” Finally her name slurred out clearly, albeit still shaky and just as broken.  
  
 The dancer only replied with a gentle pat at the back of his head.  
  
 Her tears trickled faster at every sniveling sound she heard. Her chest tightened painfully at every quivering touch she felt.  
  
 “I-I…” His voice began to sound clearer, though still faint and weak as Henry tried to breathe properly. “I w-was ready…” He forced a gulp, then cringed momentarily at the burn of his drool scraping over his dry throat. “That if…i-if you –ie…” Gods he couldn’t even muster himself to even pronounce that forbidden word. “If you…if you’re gone…” His arms stiffened around her. Though lower body distanced a few inches away from her healing wound, Henry had pressed their chests together. His left hand weakly swiped up and down her back, bony fingers brushing over the thin materials of her tunic.  
  
 “I was ready…” Tilting his head slightly to the right, his cold lips brushed over the warm crook of her neck. “…to take my life and follow you…”  
  
 Once those words echoed near her ear, Olivia swore she almost burst a sharp scream right into the clear sky of the night.  
  
 “N-N _o!_ ” Voice reaching an octave at the shock, Olivia quickly and finally shoved him away. “Henry you can’t-mmph-?!”  
  
 Any form of reasoning or logic was squashed into oblivion once his lips met hers.  
  
 Startled by the sudden physical contact, the dancer instinctively closed her eyes. The kiss was firm, hard, so filled with desperation that Olivia gasped at the feel of wet tongue tracing over her lower lip.  
  
 Taking the advantage, Henry leaned closer and slipped his tongue into her mouth. Selfishly he found her tongue, flicking it up and down before carefully pulling it to a suck. His own eyelids pressed to a tight squeeze, the dark mage clenched his fingers around the soft mess of her pink hair. Sharply he inhaled, only to then exhale a low, long groan that slipped right into her wet mouth.  
  
 Head tilted slightly, Henry pulled back oh so briefly before pressing another deep kiss that almost had her slide one step back. A whimper stifling inside his burning throat, he firmly yet lightly nipped her lower lip. Inch by inch he tugged forward, drawing out a little bruise that could surely be felt and seen for a few days. Gently he sucked the soft, supple organ, only to then release before leaning closer for another – and another and another – kiss.  
  
 Olivia swore she was going to need a new set of bandages soon, this time right around her chest because Gods she could feel heart manically pounding for its freedom.  
  
 After what felt like an eternity, Henry finally broke the kiss. A small trace of saliva connected between the tips of their jutted tongues. Feeling utterly embarrassed and even more so at the fact that she was slightly aroused, Olivia swiftly pulled back her tongue before pressing those wet, warm lips to a firm shut.  
  
  _Bonk._  
  
 She then flinched slightly at the feel of her forehead gently bumping against his own.  
  
 “-on’t le…ave me…” His voice was once again hoarse, though this time they both knew it was from the suddenly passionate make-out. Small, shivering hands balled up together near her still howling heart, Olivia shut her eyes and let the dark mage continue.  
  
 “Please…” His begging a breathy whimper, Henry slowly shook his head, nuzzling her forehead like a sad, lost puppy. “I need you… I n-need…you so…much…” Again more tears trickled down his cheeks, finally flushing out a colour that proved his living. “Please-”  
  
 This time, it was Henry’s turn to be shocked when he felt soft hands on his cheeks.  
  
 “Henry…” Oh gods how much he missed that voice. He missed it so much. He missed it too much.  
  
 Without another word he fluttered his eyes open. Quietly he brought his gaze to her, seeing nothing but a breathtaking pair of brown irises.  
  
 “I’m here…” Her voice soothed what’s left of his shattered heart. “I’m not going anywhere…” Her words purified what’s left of his rotten soul.  
  
 He then felt those soft hands move to the corners of his mouth. A shaky, breathy sigh slipped out of his nostrils to feel her touch, to hear her voice.  
  
 “But even if I did-”  
  
 Henry swore a growl almost scraped out once that despicable reminder dared slithered from her mouth.  
  
 “-that doesn’t mean you should throw your life away.” Aware of the sudden animosity that strained his jaw, Olivia quickly continued her words. Gently she caressed him, thumbs wiping away the tears that stained his tanned skin. “Your life is worth so, so much, dear.” Although he was already taller than her, the dancer still crouched slightly to meet his gaze. “You are worth so much more than you’ve ever noticed.”  
  
 While his expression had flashed to one of bafflement at her reassurance, more and more tears only trickled out.   
  
 “If… If you go,” she continued, quivering lips pressed for a second before parting them open, “then many people will be sad. Ricken, Robin, e-even Frederick and Prince Chrom; everyone will mourn if you’re gone too.” Her own tears had dripped down as well, yet Olivia held back her sobs and whimpers. “No one wants to see you gone, Henry.” Right now, all that mattered the most was making him feel validated, making him feel loved.  
  
 Because one thing was for sure, the man standing before her was the one who she loved with every beat of her heart.  
  
 “So please,” Heavily she gulped once. “Please don’t ever think or say about taking your life away.” Delicate hands back on each cheek, Olivia leaned closer and brushed her lips against his. “You’re every bit as important not only to me, but to everyone else around you.” Unable to hold back any longer, she wrapped her arms around his neck. Gritted teeth forcing back a wail, Olivia nuzzled his right cheek and traced one hand upwards to caress the back of his head.  
  
 Henry only stayed in one position. His eyes were as wide as they could be. Yet finally each iris was dimmed by shades of dull grey, removing any traces of crimson that had violently burned ever since that terrible day. Both arms remained limp like noodles by his sides, skinny fingers twitching and clenching as if they hadn’t moved for so long.  
  
 “A-And besides…” Her sobs finally accompanied with that lovely voice, Olivia slowly pulled back. “Didn’t you forget that Lucina and Lissa’s kid, ah what was his name?” Briefly lost in thought, Olivia then raised her head once she remembered. “Oh, Owain!”   
  
 The sudden pitch finally drew out another shocked expression from the dark mage; his eyebrows raised up and full grey eyes blinked once or twice.  
  
 Upon realizing her silly reaction, Olivia meekly lowered her head. “A-Anyways…” Slowly she released her hug, though hands still remained on him as she held both shoulders. “Lucina did say that she came with the other future ch-childr _en._ ” Voice cracking in embarrassment the more she spoke – or rather, whimpered at this point – the petite dancer unwarily tightened her grip onto his shoulders.  
  
 “M-Maybe…” Okay, maybe this current situation was far worse than what they had just gone through a few minutes ago. “Maybe our child is out there too, l-looking for us…” Face burned brighter than any roaring fire, Olivia quickly pursed her lips to choke down the hilarious wheeze that began slipping through the cracks.  
  
 While she wallowed in her shame and bold statement, Henry only gawked as if his whole life had flashed before his very eyes.  
  
 Lips finally parted open, he stared at his madly blushing wife. _Our child_ , was all that occupied his mind. _Our child_ , was all that increased the beat of his heart.  
  
  _Our child_ , was all that it took to give him a reason to live.  
  
 “S-So…” Unaware of the epiphany she had just given him, Olivia slowly lifted her head. “If you’re gone, then our kid will be sad too.” At the mental count of three, she looked at him. “I want our child to be happy with his mom and dad by their side.” Despite the glorious shade of red still splashing her face, joy and hope began to rid away her embarrassment. “I want us to live as a happy family.”  
  
 Bringing his right hand up, Olivia gently kissed the back of his fingers. “I love you, Henry.” Growing more confident, she bubbled another laugh. “I love you so much.”  
  
  _Family…_ was all that it took to make him feel alive again.  
  
 A few moments of silence lingered around them, though the atmosphere was finally rid of the gloom and doom that had thickened heavily in the air. Brown eyes shortly focused on the ground, Olivia scooted down to pick up the shawl near her feet. “Now then…” Standing right back up and forcing a sheepish, single cough, Olivia cupped his right hand before spinning her heel to the side. “Let’s go back to camp. The others were really worried about you and honestly,” she giggled once she heard their stomachs grumbling so shamelessly, “I-I’m so hungry I could eat a bear. Heh…” Cheeks still rosy red, Olivia began walking forward while gently tugging Henry along.  
  
 The dark mage only followed suit, bafflement and bewilderment still silencing his every word. Dumbly he let himself be pulled by the small wife. Grey eyes stared forward, stared at nothing, then stared at her. His jaw hanged quite low from the shock, breathing out a few cool air that once again dried his lips.  
  
  _Family…_  
  
 Once that word planted its root inside his brain, after what felt like forever, a smile finally twitched and tugged the corners of his mouth.  
  
 As they walked, Olivia flinched slightly to feel her left fingers being cupped and intertwined with another. Without a word she turned to the side, only to then squeak a silent squeak at the brush of his lips to her forehead.  
  
 “Thank you…” Finally his voice was even, lulled with such delicacy and love that poured shamelessly for her. Giving her hand a soft squeeze, Henry could only feel his sincere smile growing wider and wider. “I love you, Olivia…”  
  
 Olivia really did love that smile. “I love you too, Henry…”  
  
 _ **END**_


End file.
